Sex for houses scandal in Bulawayo

By Tichaona Sibanda
02 February 2006

There are reports that soldiers attached to the government’s controversial housing programme Garikai are involved in a sex for stands scandal in Bulawayo’s Cowdray park.

Our correspondent in Bulawayo Themba Nkosi said three women confirmed that the practice is rampant among those desperate to acquire stands for their families.

‘The women are being told that there is nothing for nothing in Zimbabwe today and if they want a stand they have to sleep with the soldiers,’ said Nkosi.

Some desperate women in the city, whose families were made homeless by government’s controversial Operation Murambatsvina, are allegedly giving in to the soldiers’ demands and end up sleeping with them.

The majority of residents who were affected by Murambatsvina
in Bulawayo are still trying tofind alternative accommodation. Most have either moved in with relatives or are still living rough in the city.

Bulawayo is also facing a severe shortage of mealie-meal. Retailers and shop owners last had supplies of the commodity some weeks back.

‘People are having to queue for long hours to buy mealie-meal which is in short supply here,’ said Nkosi.